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Top 20 World’s Best Low-Cost Airlines 2017

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World's Best Low-Cost Airlines

Impressively, AirAsia is the world’s best low-cost airline for the 9th year running. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the airline operates an extensive network covering more than 120 destinations in 26 countries across Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Middle East and the USA. Just 15 years ago, the airline was a failing state-owned business but was rapidly turned around by CEO Tony Fernandes.

Also voted best long-haul low-cost airline and best low-cost airline in Europe, Norwegian Air comes in second on this list. The company flies to more than 100 destinations throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the USA – making headlines earlier this year when it offered one-way flights between Dublin and New York for just $90 (£69). Its planes are instantly recognizable as they each have a red nose and portraits of famous Scandinavians on their tail fins.

“You above all” is the reassuring slogan of JetBlue Airways, credited with raising the standards of low-cost carriers in the US thanks to its friendly-service, satellite TV and free snacks. With headquarters in New York, the carrier has routes to 102 destinations across North, Central and South America. The company recently announced plans to remove its schedules from 11 online travel sites to encourage direct bookings, thereby cutting the commission it pays to third parties.

No-frills British airline easyJet burst onto the scene in 1995, launched by self-titled ‘serial entrepreneur’ Stelios Haji-Ioannou. It’s now the second-largest airline in Europe by number of passengers, behind Ryanair, carrying around 73 million people annually. EasyJet flies to more than 100 destinations throughout Europe and North Africa.

Virgin America prides itself on offering a top-notch service at an affordable price. Even passengers in the main cabin can expect mood lighting, snacks, power outlets, wi-fi, leather seats and video touchscreens in every seatback. Those flying in Select and First Class have more legroom and premium meals. Virgin America flies to 21 destinations across the US, plus three in Mexico.

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Jetstar Airways is based in Melbourne and promotes itself as “Australia’s No. 1 Low Fares Airline”. Founded in 2004, the company flies to destinations throughout Australia and New Zealand and also has routes to China, Japan, Vietnam, the US, Thailand, Malaysia, Fiji, Indonesia and the Cook Islands. Jetstar Airways is wholly owned by Qantas Airways, which offers a more premium service.

Long-haul and low-cost carrier AirAsiaX has flown over 19 million passengers since it launched its maiden flight 10 years ago. It currently serves 23 destinations across Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and Africa. Earlier this year, founder Tony Fernandes ended speculation that the airline would return to Europe and start flying to the US, confirming the company will remain focused on Asia only.

Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras is the latest success of co-founder David Neelemen, who also helped build JetBlue and WestJet. Founded in 2008, the São Paulo-based budget airline’s success is largely down to the fact it began by targeting under-served cities throughout Brazil. Its fleet of 125 jets now fly to more than 100 destinations throughout Argentina, Bolivia, French Guiana, Portugal, the USA, and Uruguay.

The world’s largest low-cost carrier, Southwest Airlines has more than 700 Boeing 737 jets and operates more than 4,000 flights a day in peak season. The Dallas-based airline flies to around 100 destinations across the US, South America and the Caribbean.

New Dehli-based IndiGo is the largest airline in India in terms of passengers carried – a total of 41 million people last year. One of the fastest-growing aviation companies in Asia, it’s about to add another 400 Airbus jets to its current fleet of 100. IndiGo flies to 46 destinations, most of which are domestic, but also airports in Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Singapore and Thailand, along with Dubai and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

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Launched in 1996, WestJet was originally a small regional airline but has grown to become the second-largest carrier in Canada. The cost-conscious company now flies to more than 100 destinations throughout Canada, Central America, Mexico, Europe and the Caribbean – and plans to expand into Asia and South America in the next few years.

Owned by Singapore Airlines, Scoot was launched in 2012. The company offers a no-frills, low-cost service alongside business class ‘ScootBiz’, which offers extra legroom and larger, leather seats. Scoot operates services in Singapore, Honolulu, China, Malaysia and the Gold Coast of Australia.

Jetstar Asia, an off-shoot of Jetstar Airways, flew into the skies in 2004. A latecomer to the budget aviation market, the business differentiated itself from other airlines by traveling within a five-hour radius of Singapore, while its competitors didn’t go beyond four hours. Jetstar Asia travels to around 100 destinations across India, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, New Zealand and Australia.

Low-cost carrier Eurowings flies to more than 150 destinations throughout Europe as well as Thailand and South Africa. The company offers passengers three fare options for both short and long-haul flights: Basic (flight only), Smart (preferred seating, food and luggage included) and Best (premium seating and legroom, à la carte catering and in-flight entertainment). Its parent company, Lufthansa, recently bought over 81 of Air Berlin’s plane, increasing the Eurowings fleet to 210 aircraft.

Dublin-based Ryanair is Europe’s largest airline in terms of passenger numbers. The company serves 34 countries throughout the continent as well as Morocco and Israel. The budget airline made the list despite cancelling thousands of flights this summer after a ‘mess-up’ in how it scheduled time off for pilots. Customer satisfaction improved from 2014 when Ryanair allowed customers two free carry-on bags. But, from January 2018, passengers will be charged for the privilege.

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Spain’s second-largest carrier, Vueling flies to over 160 destinations throughout Europe, Africa and Asia. The company, based in Barcelona, offers three fares: Basic, Optima (allocated seating and check-in luggage) and Excellence (front row, allocated seating, priority boarding, larger luggage allowance). The airline flew 2 million passengers in the UK during the summer 2017, an 8% increase from the summer season of 2016.

Tigerair Singapore merged with Scoot in July 2017 and now operates under that name, but before all this it was voted the 17th best low-cost airline in the world. The economy service continues to operate flights throughout southeast Asia, Bangladesh, China and India. (This entry does not refer to Tigerair Australia, which is a different operation entirely.)

Japanese airline Peach operates 14 domestic routes and flies to 15 international destinations across Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Taiwan and South Korea. Passengers can chose between three fares: Simple, Value and Prime, with the more expensive options offering allocated seats, additional legroom and bigger luggage allowances.

A low-cost subsidiary of Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge began operating in 2013 with just four aircraft. The company now has 49 planes and flies to more than 90 popular destinations throughout Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, South America and the USA. The airline is currently in the process of adding high-speed wi-fi to its entire fleet. All Airbus 319s will be equipped by spring, followed by its Airbus 321s and Boeing 767s later in 2018.

In 2014, Indian airline SpiceJet was about to fold – and was even forced to cancel 2,000 flights because it couldn’t afford to pay for oil. Its fortunes changed when chairman Ajay Singh took over and it’s now the third-largest carrier in the country. SpiceJet now operates more than 300 flights to 55 destinations throughout India, China, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

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Courtesy ; MSN & Skytrax

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Lufthansa resumes its A380 service on Boston, New York Flights

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Lufthansa resumes its A380 service on Boston, New York Flights

From June 1, Lufthansa will resume its regular flight operations with the popular Airbus A380 after a three-year interruption. Daily flights from Munich to Boston will be operated by LH424.

Boeing Cleared By FAA To Resume 787 Deliveries(Opens in a new browser tab)

Just in time for Independence Day, the U.S. national holiday, an A380 with flight number LH410 will take off daily for New York to John F. Kennedy International Airport from July 4, 2023. The airline is thus noticeably expanding its premium offering at its southern hub, especially with additional seats in Business and First Class.

With 509 seats, the A380 has around 80 percent more capacity than the Airbus A340-600 currently flying on the Munich-New York (JFK) route. In total, the A380 offers four classes of travel: 8 seats in First Class, 78 seats in Business Class, 52 seats in Premium Eco and 371 seats in Economy Class. Flights on the largest aircraft in the Lufthansa fleet can be booked from March 23, 2023.

Boeing, Lufthansa Group Complete Order for Four 777 Airplanes(Opens in a new browser tab)

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Due to the significant increase in demand for airline tickets and the delayed delivery of ordered aircraft, Lufthansa had decided in 2022 to reactivate the Airbus A380, which is particularly popular with passengers and crews. By the end of 2023, a total of four A380 aircraft will again be deployed from Munich.

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Ex-flight attendant claims Delta Airlines uniform gave her cancer

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Ex-flight attendant claims Delta Airlines uniform gave her cancer

One former flight attendant says in a new federal lawsuit that Delta Airlines’ allegedly “toxic” uniforms contributed to her developing cancer.

British Airways changes crew uniform for the first time in 20 years(Opens in a new browser tab)

Summer Owens, 43, claims that over the course of more than two years beginning in June 2018, the uniforms she was obliged to wear got her worse and sicker. According to a federal lawsuit filed in Brooklyn on Monday, her symptoms first included skin that was itchy, burning, and swollen, as well as a rash on her bottom, burning eyes, a runny nose, and shortness of breath.

The employee of JFK Airport Owens allegedly began experiencing symptoms over a year later, including “fluid-filled sores on her legs,” “severe weariness,” “numbness in her fingers and toes,” night sweats, fever, migraines, swelling, and difficulties sleeping.

Nevertheless, since the airline introduced new uniforms, flight attendants have been experiencing health problems. And airlines have claimed that their uniforms are secure for years.

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The identification and total amount of chemicals found in flight attendants‘ uniforms, as well as the source of their symptoms, are all now being researched by various parties. Employees are probably going to continue to have symptoms until the cause is found or until airlines start paying attention to their complaints and acting fast. And since they have historically had to do so to have their employers change policy, flight attendants are likely to continue filing lawsuits.

Air India crew look: Colour grey hair; no to crew cut for males, females asked to avoid pearl earrings(Opens in a new browser tab)

A representative for Delta stated, “Although we have not yet received any notice of any legal lawsuit, Delta has taken and continues to take substantial procedures to guarantee employee uniforms are constructed from high-quality material and have been tested to ensure they are safe for our employees to wear. Additionally, Delta offers its employees a very generous leave policy, healthcare benefits, and other services for their well-being.

The “optional” apron from the outfit was removed by the airline in 2020, according to a Delta spokesperson, but the rest of the attire complied with regulations.

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FAA Seeks to Lengthen Aircraft ‘Black Box’ Cockpit Recordings

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How does a Black Box Work ? its importance in an Aircraft.

The FAA has moved closer to mandating that aircraft black boxes record 25 hours of data, as opposed to the current maximum of two hours.

Although it wasn’t enough, this extension of recording time was a positive development. When the NTSB and the FAA began an investigation after an incident in January, the current restrictions on cockpit voice recorders came up. As we witnessed at the time, an American Airlines 777 landed on the incorrect runway at JFK after taxying to it and crossing it, which forced the crew of a leaving Delta Air Lines 737 to abort takeoff with great speed.

How does a Black Box Work ? its importance in an Aircraft.(Opens in a new browser tab)

The FAA announced on Thursday that it will also create an Aviation Rulemaking Committee to examine ways to make better use of the data collected by aircraft and their systems, including enhanced flight data monitoring. According to a statement from the agency, “We welcome any tools or resources Congress wants to provide to assist us to achieve this quickly.”

The FAA requests a 25-hour recording time for cockpit voice recorders. The adjustment would match the two “black boxes,” which currently collect parameters for 25 hours on flight data recorders (FDRs). With this information, investigators will be able to observe (well, hear) what pilots were doing and identify any distractions that would have prevented them from hearing or understanding an ATC call.

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The NTSB has advocated for extending CVRs’ recording times for a number of years. It will be interesting to watch if the FAA’s request for longer-running CVRs is met with any opposition. For instance, on the grounds of privacy, pilots have resisted proposals for cameras in the cockpit.

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US considering ban on Chinese airlines using Russian airspace ?

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Airlines Avoid flying over these 10 countries.

Chinese airlines that use Russian airspace may face a ban from the Transportation Department of the United States of America. Three Biden administration officials told that the US is considering imposing a ban on Chinese airlines and other rivals who use Russian airspace to bring passengers to the country.

The choice was made in the midst of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. In an effort to protect the safety of the passengers, a number of Ukrainian bloc allies opted to stop using Russian airspace once the conflict began in February of last year. Over a variety of topics, relations between China and the US are strained. The National Security team and others apparently received a directive on Monday. Chinese enterprises were forced by the ruling to adhere to the same limitations that apply to US airline companies.

Russia prohibits its pilots from working for foreign airlines.(Opens in a new browser tab)

The New York Times claims that these limitations have significantly impacted the operations of US airlines. A US official claimed last month that foreign airlines that use Russian airspace on flights to and from the US are acquiring a sizable economic advantage over US carriers in key markets, including China and India. They continued, “This situation is directly to the benefit of foreign airlines and at the price of the United States as a whole, with less links to critical markets, fewer high-paying airline employment, and a dent in the economy overall.”

The US airlines’ lobbying, in the opinion of the industry trade group Airlines for America, is what led to this perception of the US government. According to the trade association, US airlines are losing up to $2 billion in market share to foreign rivals every year as a result of Russia’s liberalization of business travel. In order to prevent foreign airlines flying through Russia from landing at US airports, the group has urged the Biden administration to take action.

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While maintaining vacant seats, US airlines must operate long-distance flights. To make the jet light enough to fly without refueling frequently, the seats are kept vacant. As a result, all of these regulations have a significant impact on the airline industry. Even if US airlines wanted to fly over Russian airspace, they couldn’t since Moscow last March barred US airlines from using its airspace in retaliation for Washington’s sanctions. As a result, US airlines’ business has been significantly impacted by the geopolitical dynamics between the US and Russia.

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CAAC issues brief statement on China Eastern 737 crash

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CAAC issues brief statement on China Eastern 737 crash

About a year after China Eastern Airlines (600115.SS) Flight MU5735 crashed, killing all 132 aboard, the country’s aviation regulator said on Monday that investigators were still examining the cause of the accident.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) released remarks stating that the authority “conducted an in-depth inquiry into the accident” with “meticulous and rigorous technical investigative work.” The CAAC also stated that it collaborated with appropriate departments.

The Chinese indigenous AC352 mid-size helicopter passes the certification test(Opens in a new browser tab)

The technical investigation team “has conducted detailed examinations of the plane wreckage over the past year to determine the possible working status of key control components of the plane prior to the crash, conducted experiments on more than 100 significant pieces of wreckage, and analyzed the causes of damage,” the CAAC added.

According to Shao Quan, a professor at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, providing the public with updates on the status of an inquiry at the one-year mark is a standard procedure and necessity in the worldwide civil aviation business.

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Also, who explains why the probe is still ongoing, investigations into large aircraft disasters typically take longer than a year due to the technical complications and uncertainties that they must overcome.

Only 25% of civil aviation aircraft accident investigations worldwide over the past 30 years have produced final results in under a year, Shao continued. According to the regulator, the investigation team will continue to carry out cause analysis and experimental verification work and immediately provide an evaluation in accordance with the inquiry’s progress.

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Passengers criticized the Air India and Spice Jet’s broken seats. 

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A UN diplomat criticized the airline for its extremely poor services. On his Twitter account, the official, who was flying from New York to New Delhi, complained about the broken seats and cockroaches in the cabin. He also posted pictures of cockroaches and shattered seat handles as evidence.

Korean Air plane overshoots runway in the Philippines(Opens in a new browser tab)

In response to the diplomat’s post, numerous people came forward and expressed similar concerns. The tweet that has since gone viral is as follows:

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The inconvenience was regretted by the airlines

On Monday, he tweeted about the incident once more and urged the airline for an explanation. Upon responding to his post, Air India expressed regret for the inconvenience the diplomat had experienced. In order to move the case further, they requested his flight information.

Another similar incident happened, on a SpiceJet flight. one of the SpiceJet passengers expressed his displeasure on Twitter after being forced to travel in a battered plane with tattered seats. He made a suggestion to the airline, “Sell this flight on Olx.

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Pictures of the flight have gone popular on social media, with many individuals adding to their concerns about SpiceJet.In response to the tweet, the user said, “This is worse than buses.  Lol!” Another Twitter user remarked that it would not sell on Olx and it’s a better deal for a scrap dealer.

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Boeing Forecasts Resiliency and Increased Growth for Aircraft Finance

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Boeing Forecasts Resiliency and Increased Growth for Aircraft Finance

Boeing today released the 2023 Commercial Aircraft Finance Market Outlook (CAFMO) showing another year of recovery and increased demand from aircraft financiers and investors.

Boeing to shift 150 finance and IT jobs to India from the US(Opens in a new browser tab)

The 2023 CAFMO is Boeing’s annual review of aircraft financing trends and assesses near-term market dynamics and financing sources for new commercial airplane deliveries.

An introductory video, presentation and regional financing data is available at www.boeing.com/CAFMO. Select highlights include:

  • In 2022, the majority of Boeing airplanes were funded with cash due to strong operational performance and de-leveraging efforts by customers.
  • While cash funding will continue to play a significant part in delivery financing, the use of capital markets, bank debt and export credit is expected to expand.
  • 2022 capital markets activity was lower compared to its heightened activity recorded in 2021.
  • Export credit agencies supported nearly 5% of Boeing deliveries in 2022.
  • Lessor-supported deliveries will remain stable but may face competition from other financing sources.

The Boeing 2022 Commercial Market Outlook, a separate annual 20-year forecast addressing the market for commercial airplanes and services, reflects that the global market is recovering as Boeing projected in 2020. Demand for domestic air travel has made a strong recovery across a number of regions, with international traffic gaining momentum as restrictions ease, tracking to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2023 to 2024.

Timing and conditions of 737 MAX or other airplane model regulatory approvals, lower-than-planned production rates and/or delivery rates, and increased considerations to customers and suppliers; economic and geopolitical conditions in the United States and globally; general market and industry conditions as they may impact us or our customers; reliance on commercial customers, U.S. government customers and suppliers; the overall health of aircraft production system, as well as the other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in The Boeing Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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